Final answer:
Chara is considered an autotrophic plant because it can produce its own food via photosynthesis, a process fuelled by sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water, and facilitated by the pigment chlorophyll. This allows Chara to transform inorganic carbon dioxide into organic carbon compounds, essentially 'self-feeding'. This differentiates it from heterotrophic organisms which rely on consuming other organisms for their carbon needs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Chara plant, a type of green algae, is considered an autotrophic plant.
Autotrophy is a type of metabolism where organisms, such as plants and some bacteria, produce organic compounds from inorganic substances.
This generally occurs through the process of photosynthesis, wherein the plant utilizes sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce glucose, a type of sugar that provides energy for the plant's growth and development.
In Chara, as with other autotrophs, this process is facilitated by chlorophyll, a pigment responsible for the green coloration of plants and is vital in the absorption of sunlight for photosynthesis.
By this means, Chara can convert inorganic carbon dioxide into organic carbon compounds, effectively 'feeding' itself, hence the term autotroph, which comes from the Greek roots for 'self-feeder'.
So in summary, the scientific reason why Chara is an autotrophic plant is due to its ability to generate its own food (glucose) using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water in a process known as photosynthesis.
This distinguishes it from heterotrophic organisms, which must consume other organisms or organic matter to obtain the necessary carbon for their metabolic requirements.
Learn more about Autotrophic Plants